Joshua Soto loved the army. And he died doing what he loved the most. The army sergeant, an infantryman by choice, was killed by a roadside bomb june 16th outside the iraqi town of Tallil. It was his third tour of duty in Iraq.
Adam Jimenez, family friend, "It's been sad, but it's also relief. He's finally back home. We can say our goodbyes and move on from there." Sergeant Soto's body was flown back to Bakersfield from Dover Air Force Base with dozens of family and friends looking on.
More than 30 motorcycle riders turned out to escort soto to his final resting place. Ben Patten, Patriot Guard. "We need these families to know that we appreciate the sacrifice their loved ones make for all of us."
Shane Soto, a Staff Sergeant in the Air Force, escorted his younger brother home aboard a chartered jet...and talked about the emotions he struggled with as they winged their way back to Kern County. "I was just trying to maintain my military bearing. I didn't want the people around me to...I was trying to stay strong form them. I didn't want them to feel any worse than they already felt for losing their brother."
Joshua Soto was born and raised in Bakersfield. Friends and family describe him as a fun-loving, live-for-the-day kind of guy, who loved children, and loved serving his country. Brandon Cortez, family friend. "Everybody that knew Josh is pretty much heartbroken. He was a good man. He served his country real good, so I'm sure everyone's going to miss him."
Soto earned two Purple Hearts, a bronze star and the army's commendation medal. His brother described him as a soldier's soldier, and recalls the heart to heart conversation they had before Soto deployed on his third tour of duty. "He made it a reality for me to prepare myself for this. He has soldiers to take care of and if that meant him going, he was willing to accept that. The only struggle he had was his son. He didn't want to leave him behind."
And knowing how his brother operated fearlessly in the field of combat, Shane Soto said this about his burial on Hillcrest Memorial Park's Hill of Valor. "They asked me where I wanted Josh buried on the hill and I said you won't find him at the bottom."
Our fallen hero leaves behind a wife and a nine-month-old baby boy. Sergeant Joshua Soto will be laid to rest with military honors, this Saturday, at ten a.m., at Hillcrest Memorial Park. The public is invited to attend.
